1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to eyeglasses, and in particular relates to a hinge for eyeglasses.
2. Description of Prior Art
Eyeglasses may use hinges to connect temple pieces that extend over the ear and lens retaining pieces that extend across the front of a wearer's face. Hinges allow folding of the glasses for easy and safe transport and storage. Conventional eyeglass hinges use small screws that may become loosened during use and lost, rendering the eyeglasses unwearable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,844 to Spandl discusses a hinge for spectacles, the hinge having two spectacle frame parts joined in an articulated manner by an axis element, the end of the first spectacle frame part having a first bend which encloses at least in part the axis element in a pivoting manner, and the second spectacle frame part being secured against rotation to the axis element. Also disclosed is a spectacle frame having this type of hinge. The claimed hinge for spectacles is characterised in that an elastic tongue is formed in the second spectacle frame part, on the side of the hinge, having a second bend which encloses at least in part the first bend of the first spectacle frame part.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,121,663 to Huang relates to an eyeglasses assembly that includes a lens frame and two eyeglass temples. The lens frame has two mounting seats provided at left and right ends, respectively. Each mounting seat has a pivot hole. Each eyeglass temple includes a coupling portion mounted pivotally to a respective one of the mounting seats. The coupling portion includes two resilient legs, and a curved pivot part disposed between the resilient legs and extending pivotally through the pivot hole in the respective one of the mounting seats. The resilient legs abut against outer faces of the mounting seats when the eyeglass temples are unfolded, and bias the curved pivot parts to move inward and limit outward movements of the eyeglass temples.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,965 to Kroman relates to an eyeglass frame, an eyeglass, and a method of manufacturing a hinge for an eyeglass frame. The eyeglass frame includes a frame front, a pair of temple bars and respective hinge means adapted to provide a pivotal connection of each temple bar with the frame front. According to the invention each hinge means includes a cooperating pair of friction members and a spring means adapted for applying balanced, radially directed biasing forces onto the cooperating pair of frictions members. Hereby any play in the hinge is eliminated and the friction is maintained. Further the description provides an eyeglass and a method of manufacturing an eyeglass.
Japanese Patent Application No. 20040366365 discusses providing spectacles that can be designed as a user desires by making temples detachable from wraparound endpieces without using a detaching tool while making good use of fittings of temples through support shaft bodies, and thus making a variation of spectacle frames. A temple fitting structure of spectacles is characterized in that: a support shaft body is provided with a projection portion for operation which protrudes at right angles to the length of the support shaft body; an operation hole is bored inward in the spectacles almost at right angles to the length of a temple corresponding to the projection portion for operation and the support shaft body is inserted into and arranged in a cylinder portion of the temple; the projection portion for operation is made appear in the operation hole; a fixed pin and a pin lock hole are unlocked by pushing in the projection portion for operation toward a movable pin; and the operation hole directs the projection portion for operation to the center of the spectacles when the temple is opened.